John Phillips

Moving Mountains

Phillips’ immersive sound, aiming at pervading the space (six channel surround), brings close and realistic the sublime endeavor to move mountains. The development of the sound narrative through a solo electric guitar piece built up through layering of parts, achieves a rich, strong point of contact between the visual component of the work and music. Drones and "horn" tones developed through rattling the instrument and the use of controlled feedback through the guitar amplifier attain organic and mysterious tones. A sense of promise weaving in and out of, between assurance and uncertainty. Dissecting points of contact between visual art and music, interpreting suggestions and manipulating codes and symbols: Phillips’ sound does not shy away from themes that at ease with the images make their artistic journey evident. Telfer, Phillips and Summo-O’Connell have collaborated since 2007, having presented various works in Italy, France and Australia. They participated in the 2014 edition of White Night Melbourne with the video Above the Sound of Many Voices, screened in Baptist Lane. The Melbourne screening happened concurrently with a Florence based event in Italy, as agreed with the WNM program organizers at the time. Moving Mountains is the new effort produced by this successful collaboration, presenting a 6min 30sec video by Josephine Telfer with sound composed by John Phillips and curatorial and conceptual aspects coordinated by Summo-O’Connell. Coherent with their previous works, where both Phillips and Telfer have consistently dealt with issues concerning our environment, Moving Mountains is a challenge to advocate the profound shift needed with regard to the planet. Art, as a form of cognizance, can address this major question. Telfer and Phillips’ challenge does not concern only our planet’s biosphere. The “climatic unconscious” as it has been named, is indeed what holds people together, as climate conditions do bond people ( Supercommunity Project, 2015; http://remaimodern.org/prelaunch/projects/supercommunity/). Moving Mountains is in fact a challenge that the artists throw down at us, a challenge that concerns humanity’s choice and actions.